IP Library Granted Patent US 12665017
Granted Patent B2
US 12665017 · App. 18/371,308 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Enhanced valley tracking with trim setting updates in a memory device

Inventors: Ching-Huang Lu (Fremont, CA); Yingda Dong (Los Altos, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C11/4096G11C11/4085G11C11/4094G11C2207/2254
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12665017
App. No.
18/371,308
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Control logic in a memory device receives a request to perform a read operation to read data from a memory array of a memory device, the request comprising an indication of a segment of the memory array where the data is stored, and performs a first coarse valley tracking calibration operation on the segment of the memory array. The control logic further configures a read voltage level and one or more parameters associated with the read operation based on a result of the first coarse valley tracking calibration operation and performs a second fine valley tracking calibration operation on the segment of the memory array using the configured read voltage level and the configured one or more parameters.

Claims (26)

1 . A memory device comprising:

a memory array; and

control logic, operatively coupled with the memory array, to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to perform a read operation to read data from the memory array, the request comprising an indication of a segment of the memory array where the data is stored;

performing a first coarse valley tracking calibration operation on the segment of the memory array, wherein performing the first coarse valley tracking calibration operation comprises performing a failed byte count read operation on the segment of the memory array to determine a failed byte count;

configuring a read voltage level and one or more parameters associated with the read operation based on a result of the first coarse valley tracking calibration operation, the result comprising the failed byte count; and

performing a second fine valley tracking calibration operation on the segment of the memory array using the configured read voltage level and the configured one or more parameters.

2 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein performing the failed byte count read operation on the segment of the memory array comprises causing a failed byte count voltage strobe to be applied, for a set period of time, to a target wordline associated with the segment of the memory array.

3 . The memory device of claim 2 , wherein memory cells in the segment of the memory array are programmed to a number of program voltage levels to represent the data, and wherein a magnitude of the failed byte count voltage strobe targets a highest program voltage level of the number of program voltage levels.

4 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein configuring the one or more parameters associated with the read operation comprises configuring a bitline voltage to be applied to a bitline of the memory array.

5 . The memory device of claim 2 , wherein configuring the one or more parameters associated with the read operation comprises configuring a pass voltage to be applied to one or more wordlines adjacent to the target wordline in the memory array.

6 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein performing the second fine valley tracking calibration operation comprises performing a parallel auto-read calibration (pARC) operation on the segment of the memory array.

7 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the control logic is to perform operations further comprising:

performing the read operation on the segment of the memory array using the configured read voltage level and the configured one or more parameters.

8 . A method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a read operation to read data from a memory array of a memory device, the request comprising an indication of a segment of the memory array where the data is stored;

performing a first coarse valley tracking calibration operation on the segment of the memory array, wherein performing the first coarse valley tracking calibration operation comprises performing a failed byte count read operation on the segment of the memory array to determine a failed byte count;

configuring a read voltage level and one or more parameters associated with the read operation based on a result of the first coarse valley tracking calibration operation, the result comprising the failed byte count; and

performing a second fine valley tracking calibration operation on the segment of the memory array using the configured read voltage level and the configured one or more parameters.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the failed byte count read operation on the segment of the memory array comprises causing a failed byte count voltage strobe to be applied, for a set period of time, to a target wordline associated with the segment of the memory array.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein memory cells in the segment of the memory array are programmed to a number of program voltage levels to represent the data, and wherein a magnitude of the failed byte count voltage strobe targets a highest program voltage level of the number of program voltage levels.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein configuring the one or more parameters associated with the read operation comprises configuring a bitline voltage to be applied to a bitline of the memory array.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein configuring the one or more parameters associated with the read operation comprises configuring a pass voltage to be applied to one or more wordlines adjacent to the target wordline in the memory array.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the second fine valley tracking calibration operation comprises performing a parallel auto-read calibration (pARC) operation on the segment of the memory array.

14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

performing the read operation on the segment of the memory array using the configured read voltage level and the configured one or more parameters.